W B lack H istory M onth ä
Page AIO
s p e c ia l
o n e ra a e ,
Februaiy 2, 2005
Black Baptists Pledge New Era of Cooperation
disobedience and mass protest were a key
factor in that split.
The groups say little of consequence
now divides them, other than the indepen
dent denominational structures each has
created that would make full reunification
difficult at this time.
They are now positioning themselves
collectively as an antidote, not just for blacks
but for all Americans, to what they call the
narrow moral focus of President Bush and
his religious supporters.
Like white evangelicals, black Baptists
generally oppose abortion and consider
gay sex immoral. In the presidential race,
Republicans made common cause with
some black leaders over blocking gay mar
riage, hoping the issue would chip away at
the overwhelming black support for Demo
crats.
The Rev. Jesse Jackson, during a key
note speech, asked the audience if any of
their churches had fielded requests to per
form same-sex weddings. When there was
no visible response among the thousands
packed into a cavernous hotel ballroom, he
wheeled around the podium and shouted,
“Then how did that get in the middle of our
agenda?” People stood and cheered.
See total numbers
as power to make
a positive impact
(AP)— Four black Baptist groups whose
churches were a training ground for promi
nent civil rights leaders, but split partly over
how that tight should be waged, said Friday
they were embarking on a new era of coop
eration meant to put the concerns of their
community atop the national agenda.
The National Baptist Convention USA,
the Progressive National Baptist Conven
tion, the National Baptist Convention of
America and the National Missionary Bap
tist Convention of America hope to reclaim
their historic role as leaders for broad social
change. Among their top issues will be Rev. Jesse Jackson speaks to four black Baptist groups whose churches were a
education, health care, jobs and foreign training ground for prominent civil rights leaders, but split apart decades ago partly
over how that fight should be waged. (AP photo)
policy.
"We believe, and the numbers show it, denom inations’ joint weeklong m eeting - pened in 1988.
But the most notorious break was in
that we have the power in terms o f black their first in at least 90 years. Together, the
1961, when a fight over the presidency of
registered voters across the country to convention presidents said they repre
the National Baptist Convention USA led
make an impact,” said the Rev. Stephen J. sent about 15 million Baptists nationwide.
the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and his
Thurston of Chicago, president of the
The groups’ initial split occurred in 1915,
National Baptist Convention of America. over control o f a publishing house. A supporters to form the Progressive Bap
tists. Opposition to King’s strategy of civil
His comments came at the end of the similar schism over governance issues hap-
Church
Hosts
Gumbo
Dinner
T he Im m a c u la te H eart
Church will host its 21 st An
nual Creole G um bo Dinner
on Saturday, Feb. 5 from
noon to 7 p.m.
The dinners will include
rice, salad, bread, dessert and
punch. Take-out is available.
An adult Creole Gum bo plate
is $13, an adult Jumbalaya
plate is $10, and children un
der 12 are $6.
Im m aculate H eart Church
is located at 2926 N. W ill
iams Avenue and dinner will
be served in the Parish Hall.
T ickets are available at the
door o r by calling 503-287-
3724.
February 2005
o
Thurgood Marshall
1908-1993
.....'
• .f
• <*
For over 40 years, Thurgood Marshall fought
for equal opportunities. The grandson of a
slave, Marshall graduated from Howard
University Law School in 1933. He joined the
legal staff of the NAACP in 1936. Over
the course of his career as a lawyer, he argued
N
more than 30 cases before the U S. Supreme
Court. His argument in Brown vs. Board of
Education (1954) against the "separate but
f i f e
equal" doctrine resulted in a landmark
decision that outlawed segregation in public
schools. In 1967, President Lyndon B. Johnson
appointed Marshall to the U.S. Supreme Court,
making him the first African American to serve
B
in this position. There, Marshall consistently
■
challenged discrimination and supported free
speech and individual rights.
ite
a s s a r
s ä
*» '
-‘"‘''"J
For his pioneering legal efforts in
opening opportunities for Americans
of every race, color, gender,
and creed, we honor him.
>
u
0
W
Library of Congress, Prints and
l
■
)
¡I
I